What We Love

  • No reservations needed at any of the restaurants.
  • The teal ocean and breezy palms on the white sand of Flamingos Beach. Swoon-worthy.
  • Sipping on cocktails and watching the crazy beautiful pink sunsets over the water.
  • The spa where you can descend into relaxing massages & thalassotherapy, a seawater treatment.
  • The in-pool loungers where you can lounge, swim around a bit, then return to work on your tan.

Things to Know

  • It's just 8 miles away from the airport. Blink, and you'll be there.
  • Don't miss horseback riding in the Sierra Madres or swimming with the dolphins in Banderas Bay.
  • There's an 18-hole, championship golf course that a coconut's throw away.
  • Check out the bodyboarding, windsurfing, catamarans and more. Dive in.
  • On land, there's volleyball, billiards and for the flexible/bendy types, there's gymnastics.
Hotel Promotions
Elite Club Amenities
The guest staying in the Elite Club categories receive the following amenities:

• Premium room locations.
• Access to exclusive Elite Club lounge.
• Access to exclusive designated Elite Club beach area.
• Access to exclusive premium branded drinks at selected bars.
• Upgraded in-room liquor dispenser with premium brands.
• Upgraded minibar with snacks and bottle of wine.
• Upgraded room service menu.
• In-room aromatherapy.
• Exclusive welcome gift.
• Exclusive Elite Club a-la-carte restaurant for dinner.
• Exclusive restaurant for breakfast, including a-la-carte menu options.
• Dinner reservation available for the a-la carte restaurants through
the RIU App.
• Dedicated check in area and Elite Club wristband.
• Confirmed late check out until 1 PM and early check in based on
availability.

Important Information:  Redemption information will be provided by the hotel at check-in.
Applicable Dates:
Booking Dates: 04 Jan 2024 to 23 Dec 2026
Travel Dates: 04 Jan 2024 to 23 Dec 2026
*Applicable promotions will display with your room selection. Some restrictions may apply.
Up to $500 in Resort Credits.
Guests will receive up to $500 in coupons per room towards the purchase of Spa Services, Scuba Diving, Wedding Services, Rental Car, and Photography.  Additional details will be provided upon check-in at the hotel.

Important Information: 
Guests will receive coupons at check-in.  The total of credits is per room for guests 21 and older.  Resort credits are non-transferable, non-cumulative, non-refundable, non-combinable, and cannot be used on future stays.  Resort credits can be used as a discount only for selected services.  Credits cannot be exchanged for cash.  Promotion is subject to availability and can change without notice.  Restrictions may apply.
Applicable Dates:
Booking Dates: 14 Dec 2023 to 22 Dec 2025
Travel Dates: 24 Dec 2023 to 23 Dec 2025
*Applicable promotions will display with your room selection. Some restrictions may apply.
Up to $630 in Resort Credits.
Guests will receive up to $630 in coupons per room towards the purchase of Spa Services, Scuba Diving, Wedding Services, Rental Car, and Photography.  Additional details will be provided upon check-in at the hotel.

Important Information: 
Guests will receive coupons at check-in.  The total of credits is per room for guests 21 and older.  Resort credits are non-transferable, non-cumulative, non-refundable, non-combinable, and cannot be used on future stays.  Resort credits can be used as a discount only for selected services.  Credits cannot be exchanged for cash.  Promotion is subject to availability and can change without notice.  Restrictions may apply.
Applicable Dates:
Booking Dates: 14 Dec 2023 to 22 Dec 2025
Travel Dates: 24 Dec 2023 to 23 Dec 2025
*Applicable promotions will display with your room selection. Some restrictions may apply.
Honeymoon Inclusions.
Guests celebrating their honeymoon with us will receive 
- Surprise welcome gift in the room
- Small bottle of Tequila
- King Bed ( subject to availability)
- Late Check out (subject to availability at time of departure)
Complimentary upgrade to next available room category ( subject to availability and upon request)
- $35 Spa Credit for a selected service in "Specials for couples" category (120 min)

To receive this offer, just enter "HONEYMOON" in the Special Service Request section during check-out or call our Customer Care Center and we will be happy to make the notation for you.

Important Information:  Proof of marriage must be provided at check-in. Emission date of less than 90 days
Applicable Dates:
Booking Dates: 27 Jun 2024 to 23 Dec 2026
Travel Dates: 24 Dec 2024 to 23 Dec 2026
*Applicable promotions will display with your room selection. Some restrictions may apply.
All Inclusive Amenities
The All-Inclusive program includes the following amenities:

• All meals, snacks, and beverages 
• Room service 24 hours a day
• Regularly restocked minibar and liquor dispenser
• Drink service at the pool
• Group fitness activities in the RiuFit area
• Beach volleyball court, kayaking, small catamaran, bodyboarding
• Daytime entertainment program (daily)
• Live music, shows & Riu entertainment (daily)
• WiFi throughout the hotel
• Taxes and tips included

Important Information:  Redemption information will be provided by the hotel at check-in.  All hotel guests are required to wear an "All Inclusive" wristband for identification purposes.
Applicable Dates:
Booking Dates: 10 Jul 2024 to 23 Dec 2026
Travel Dates: 24 Dec 2024 to 23 Dec 2026
*Applicable promotions will display with your room selection. Some restrictions may apply.
Exchange Privileges
Guests staying at Riu Palace Pacifico have full access of the resort facilities at:

• Riu Vallarta
• Riu Jalisco.

Important Information: All of the above information is subject to change at any time without prior notice. More information will be provided upon check-in.  Transportation available but not included.  Please be aware that breakfast and dinner must be taken at the booked hotel.
Applicable Dates:
Booking Dates: 28 Feb 2023 to 23 Dec 2026
Travel Dates: 02 Dec 2023 to 23 Dec 2026
*Applicable promotions will display with your room selection. Some restrictions may apply.

Resort Details

You don’t have to go far for delicious food and drinks, these options have you covered.
OnSite Dining
  • Elite Club Restaurant
    A-la-carte restaurant exclusively for Elite Club guests. Dinner Only
  • Guacamole
    Mexican a-la-carte restaurant with starters buffet. Dinner only.
  • Krystal
    A-la-carte restaurant serving fusion cuisine. Dinner only.
  • Kyoto
    A-la-carte restaurant serving Asian cuisine. Dinner only.
  • La Peninsula
    Main Buffet restaurant with live cooking stations, serving international cuisine. Breakfast, lunch and Dinner.
  • La Toscana
    Italian a-la-carte restaurant with starters and desserts buffet. Dinner Only.
  • Pepe´s Food Grill
    Snacks. Lunch only.
  • Steakhouse
    A-la-carte restaurant. Dinner only.
  • Tiki Taco
    Tacos. Lunch only.
  • Various Lounges/Bars
    - Sports Bar 24 hours with snacks
    - Marlin Swim-up Bar 
    - Daiquiri Lobby Bar
    - Bolero Theatre Bar
    - Capuchino Patisserie & Ice Cream Parlor
    - Elite Club Lounge exclusively for Elite Club guests
    - Elite Club Beach Bar exclusively for Elite Club guests
Treat yourself to everything that this resort has to offer and more.
On-Site Amenities
  • 24-hour front desk
  • 24-hour room service
  • Accessible facilities
  • Bell staff/porter
  • Concierge desk
  • Elevators
  • Exercise gym
  • Free high speed internet connection
  • Free parking
  • Game room
  • 24-hour front desk
  • 24-hour room service
  • Complies with Local/State/Federal laws for disabled
  • Bell staff/porter
  • Concierge desk
  • Elevators
  • Exercise gym
  • Free high speed internet connection
  • Free parking
  • Game room
  • Gift/News stand†
  • Golf, Offsite†
  • Housekeeping - daily
  • Lounges/bars
  • Meal Plan Type: All Inclusive
  • Pool
  • Restaurant
  • Room service
  • Safe deposit box
  • Spa†
  • Steam bath
  • Wakeup service
  • Water sports†

† Fees may apply

Whether a land lover or a water sports fanatic, you’ll always have something fun to do.
On-Site Recreation
  • Direct access to a beach
  • Fitness center on-site
  • Non-Motorized Water Sports
    This includes catamarans, kayaking, body boards and 1 introductory scuba diving lesson in the pool.
  • Pool
    There is 3 pool on-site. 

  • Spa †
    There is 1 indoor hot tub. 
Off-Site Recreation
  • Golf †

    A golf course is located within a mile of the hotel that provides preferential conditions and additional value to our guests. 

  • Motorized Water Sports †
On-Site Attraction
  • On-site Entertainment
    Access to weekly theme parties for everyone

† Fees may apply

Guest Reviews from CheapCaribbean Customers

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

TRI_LOGO_ANCILLARY_4.5 7336 reviews
  • TRI_LOGO_ANCILLARY_ 5.0 star tripadvisor rating

    Had a great time at the RIU! This was actually our 2nd RIU.. the first was in Costa Rica. I really can't say more about this great hotel other that what has already been said about the employees and the resort itself. Here is my experience and some suggestions for first timers: We just took an UBER there (more about UBER later) from the airport. It's a few minutes walk but worth it. Your US version of UBER works just fine and displays the cost/fare in pesos. It was only $265 pesos (under $15) door to door. The UBER driver picked us up right in front of Tacon de Marlin on the other side of the walkway bridge. I do suggest getting Pesos as spending money...all I used was Pesos there. I got mine from Chase next day and probably the best exchange rate. It's an easy conversion... just remember that every $20 Pesos is $1 USD approximately.. we are talking pennies in difference depending on the rate for the day. I went SCUBA diving the next day - Vallarta Adventures is who went through. I booked the trip in advance and saved 40%. Took an UBER there too.. $150 Pesos. Was supposed to go to Marietas Islands to dive - but hurricane Flossie that went through there recently caused the government or whomever to shut it down for a few days... so we had to go to another site. It was pretty good.. saw a few turtles and some cool eels. Vis was ok and the water was really warm.. no wetsuit needed. My divemaster was Ali Ozan and he was really cool and knowledgeable. There is a little shop at the beach that sells some souvenir stuff.. but I recommend going up the road to Bucerias.. the stuff at the markets there is about 1/3 the cost on the beach. We took an UBER there for $172 Pesos - just tell the driver to take you to the Bucerias sign (Alfredo V. Bonfil St.) all the market shops are right there. There are many shop owners who want you to come and look inside there store.. many of them sell the same stuff. Most if not all the shop owners have Tequila and love to have a "taste" with people who visit their store.. and they give it to you if you buy or not =) We ended up walking back from Bucerias .. and it's about 2 miles... and I'm gonna admit, it took a little while and its farther than you think. You can UBER/Taxi back or we saw some people who rented electric bikes. We stopped at a few Pharmacies.. but many of them have the same prices, especially the larger chain stores. They all take Visa if you don't want to carry cash. OK - about the UBER... the local police HATE the UBER drivers. I don't know the history or why the bad blood.. but the police will pull them over and extort money from them and shake them down. The drivers are a bit timid because of this understandably. There are some bad stories of certain drivers losing their cars... etc because they could not pay off the police. One of our drivers would not pull all the way up to the front door of the hotel - so we met them in the street next to the guard station - no big deal. All in all it was a great time.. however... I did get swimmers itch from the ocean and also swimmers ear... pretty bad.. and it's probably just me. Over a week and a half after we left and I still have signs of the rash. So, if you are prone to swimmers itch...which now I found out I am.. bring some Hydrocortisone cream or some Benadryl just in case. I got some swimmers ear medicine from the Pharmacy - its called Phendex - to help while I was there.. it was at an amazing price of $42 pesos! DO NOT MISS.... The Neon Party or the White Party.. they are so much fun...you are there to have fun and let loose - these are the perfect times to do it! The nightly entertainment at the theatre is amazing too.. went every night.. those people work so hard to put on a great show.. and it tells! Thanks for reading and hope you have an amazing experience!

    Jul 17, 2025
  • TRI_LOGO_ANCILLARY_ 4.0 star tripadvisor rating
    Nice resort, probably for the older turned down crowd.

    I enjoy liked this resort, just didnt love it. Check in was a breeze with Andies, who set the tone with her friendliness. We were not escorted to our room which was disappointing. Rooms are unique with the steps that lead down into the balcony area. Very clean, very quiet most times and the staff had issues with guest playing music. There is no club here, the pool bar had music playing sometimes. The beach was nice, no seaweed. No the clearest but nice. The buffet was above average. The steakhouse was outstanding, but the portion sizes were on the smaller size. The sports bar, open 24hrs, had really good food. The drinks are top shelf. Just have to find the right bartender to make your drink. Now the entertainment team was underwhelming and the one RIU party was more family friendly.

    Jul 15, 2025
  • TRI_LOGO_ANCILLARY_ 3.0 star tripadvisor rating
    Riu Palace Pacifico, Nuevo Vallarta/Nayarit

    Riu Palace Pacifico is an all-inclusive adult only resort that was newly refurbished. The ambiance is elegant and sophisticated with a wide variety of food options from the typical buffet to specific cuisine (Asian, Italian, fusion gourmet, etc). The resort is located approx 20-40 minutes north of the airport, depending on traffic. There are a lot of construction (and speed bumps), so expect an amount of time getting to the resort. Airport: getting through customs was a breeze. Make sure to fill out your travel/immigration documents before getting to the customs area. If not filled out while in flight, make sure to grab one when you deboard the airplane. Once you get out of customs, be prepared to go through the timeshare "guantlet." Ignore them and just walk through. All transportation arrangements will be outside the airport. Make sure to find your transport representative there. There are 2 RIU hotels in the area (Jalisco versus Palace Pacifico), so make sure you identify the correct one. RIU hotel check-in: Once you arrive at the hotel, bell hop will insist on grabbing your bags for you while you proceed to the check-in area. We were greeted with a glass of champagne. If you have the elite club package (which we were), you will be brought into a separate check-in area. You will be given wrist bands to signify your package level (elite versus non-elite). Hotel rooms: rooms were very clean and modern. Elite club rooms have "full ocean view" while non elite packages have "partial ocean view," which was just as good as full ocean view (I will elaborate further details later). All inclusive includes all food, beverages, and activities (which were lacking). Food: quality varied. The buffet was plentiful but was your basic and typical buffet. The "specialty" dining like Kyoto, Guacamole, La Toscana, etc, had its unique pros/cons. The worst specialty restaurant we had was the steakhouse. The steaks were overcooked and very bland. Unless otherwise specified when you are seated, you can order as many meal items as you want. Serving portions are quite small/petite, so if you are hungry, make sure to order a couple of main dishes (or appetizers). Beverages: definitely catered for the masses. A lot of their drinks like the pina colada and margaritas are pre-mixed (or boxed), which blows my mind. I was expecting real authentically mixed beverages but was quite disappointed. Activities: There are daily "nursing home-like" activities (lol). The venue lacked guest engagement centric activities (like trivia, karaoke, boardgames, etc). If your thing is to listen to bands that played the same music every other day, this is the venue for you. Make sure to plan some third-party excursions to fill your time and to raise your heart rate, unless you want to vegetate around the pool or on the beach for 16 hours a day. Service: The staff was plentiful, and they were always cleaning all common areas. Excursions: There are third-party excursion representatives, and they're typically available in the mornings. Keep in mind that they are NOT part of the all-inclusive package. We did excursions with Canopy Aventures and Vallarta Adventures during our trip, but be worrisome with scammers online. See separate excursion reviews. RIU app: Once you have your reservation, you can manage and view it on the app. When you check in, the staff will push you to download and view the app. You will be able to view daily nursing-home like activity schedules (lol) and restaurants (make reservations for elite). Unfortunately, the app is very slow and cumbersome. Beach: During the time of this review (July 2025), the beach was calm with murky water. The beach is within Banderas Bay, and the water is very silty. The water clears up 1-2 miles offshore. There are a lot of vendors on the beach, so be prepared. Elite club: i can see this as a benefit if/when the resort is at full capacity. Other than the ocean view rooms, you are welcomed with free champagne in your room. You get free room snacks and an endless supply of hard liquor and beer/sodas/water in your room. Elite club rooms have full oceanview rooms. But if you can turn your head 90degrees left or right, you can also have a full oceanview room from a non-elite club partial oceanview room. There is a separate lounge you can order drinks and snacks. There are beach cabanas only available to elite club members, even though there are plenty of lounge recliners available outside of elite cabanas. There is a separate elite club only restaurant, which we did not utilize. Elite members are able to make restaurant reservations up to 1 night ahead via RIU app. Otherwise, it is first come, first serve. I have heard of patrons being turned down due to limited availability. Like I said, if the hotel is at full capacity or during peak season, elite club package would be beneficial. Overall, this was my first all-inclusive resort vacation. I am more of an adventurous individual and expected more activities. I was happy with the cleanliness of the hotel and the customer service provided.

    Jul 14, 2025
  • TRI_LOGO_ANCILLARY_ 5.0 star tripadvisor rating
    Great Stay at Riu Palace Pacifico

    Spent 9 nights (late June, early July, 2025) at the Riu Palace Pacifico. We had a large group (17 people). It is a great location, only 20-30 minutes from the airport, depending on time of day (traffic). The property is beautiful, and all the employees were extremely nice and accommodating. The food was good - what I would expect at an all-inclusive resort. The buffet always had a great selection and everyone could find something. The breakfast was best. The steakhouse was very good, the Asian was good. Some in our party ate at the Italian and said it was not very good, and the Mexican was just OK. We didn't try the others. The pools were nice - the swim up bar got very crowded and the water was very warm, but the quiet pool and activity pool were nice to hang out in. It was always easy to find chairs. The snack bar/taco stand by the pool was great - excellent tacos, great hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, etc. The beach was very nice - it was always easy to find lounges, even with our large group. It was also easy to find some in the shade and some with sun. The water was nice - saw a few eels, stingrays, and very small amount of jellyfish. One day they were keeping us out due to someone spotting a crocodile - wish I would have seen it! This Riu had the nicest sports bar I have seen at an all-inclusive resort. It was like a real sports bar - lots of comfortable seating, good TVs, and you actually order food that is served fresh rather than having things in chafing dishes like most others. We had great view from our partial sea view room. The air conditioners worked great! Overall, I recommend this resort and I will likely return.

    Jul 14, 2025
  • TRI_LOGO_ANCILLARY_ 3.0 star tripadvisor rating
    Pretty Resort - Questionable Guests

    We recently stayed at the Riu Palace Pacifico in Puerto Vallarta. This adults-only all-inclusive is pretty with modern, clean rooms, sparkling pools, and friendly staff who hustle to keep guests happy. The restaurants didn’t disappoint (special shout-out to the steakhouse, taco bar, and coffee bar), and having elite status made snagging reservations a breeze. Now, about those "adults". Picture a Spring Break cruise, but stationary. The day we arrived, the swim-up bar pool was closed because someone mistook it for a toilet. We thought, “okay, weird fluke”, until it kept happening. Watching grown-ups down shots like frat pledges, then decorate the pool deck and/or the pool itself was not on our vacation bingo card. This happened every day. Sure, everyone’s entitled to a good time. But if your idea of fun is sharing paradise with some sloppy partiers, just waiting for the staff to swoop in with buckets and mops, congratulations—this is your paradise. If not, well… enjoy the big pool, or maybe the lobby. It stays remarkably puke-free. Unfortunately, due to the unsavory guests, I will not be returning to this resort.

    Jul 13, 2025
Hotel Advisories
  • AdvisoryStudent Groups/Spring Breakers (either groups or individuals, regardless of age) are not allowed at any time during the year. Guests disturbing or generating complaints from other guests or hotel may be removed from the property, at their own expense. Parties in rooms are not permitted.
  • AdvisoryRiu Party in Puerto Vallarta will be temporarily paused during the renovation of Riu Jalisco. The renovation will begin on August 18, 2025, and the hotel will reopen on December 20, 2025. As a result, the Riu Party will not be available for guests at Riu Vallarta and Riu Palace Pacifico during this period. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to resuming the Riu Party events upon the completion of the renovations.
General Policy
  • Check In: 3:00 PM
  • Check Out: 12:00 PM
  • Minimum Check-In Age: 18
  • General Policies:

    Check-in Policy - Deposits or credit/debit card hold authorizations are not requested at check-in. "Minimum age of 18 is required for check-in, an ID/Passport will be requested upon arrival.

    Convention Policy : Groups traveling together can book this property for their stay taking advantage of group benefits such as 6th or 11th complimentary guest, Group dinner reservation, One complimentary cocktail hour with a selection of appetizers, One complimentary massage for the group leader, Complimentary room upgrades to the next category, Fruit plate and bottle of wine for the VIP, Private check-in when arriving together,  Welcome sign. Applicable with Wedding Collections and Social Packages. Consult terms & conditions.

    Spring Break Policies - Student Groups/Spring Breakers (either groups or individuals, regardless of age) are not allowed at any time during the year. Guests disturbing or generating complaints from other guests or hotel may be removed from the property, at their own expense. Parties in rooms are not permitted. EFFECTIVE FROM 03/30/21

    Transfer Policy - A price may display, if your vacation includes transfer to your hotel.

    General Information - Room taxes and service fee are included in vacation price.
    Minimum night stay restrictions may apply.
    Reservation changes may not be permitted unless authorized by the hotel.

  • Pet Policy : Pets Not Allowed
  • Early Departure Policy
    • Early Departure Penalty:1 NightApplies: Sunday - Saturday 04Jul24 - 23Dec26
    • Early Departure Penalty:2 NightsApplies: Sunday - Saturday 24Dec25 - 30Apr26

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